Mailbox signal



March 2, 1954 H. J. GAGNON MAILBOX SIGNAL Filed Feb. 28, 1952 H nunml.

, will" INVENTOR.

I Henryrf Gag non Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAILBOX SIGNAL Henry J Gagnon, Olalla, Wash. Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,816

1 Claim.

This invention relates to signals for rural mailboxes.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a signal for rural mailboxes which automatically will assume its signaling position when mail is placed in the mailbox.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a signal for rural mailboxes which is operative at a station remote from the mailbox where it is visible to the boxholder even though the mailbox itself, from which the signal is operated, may be concealed from view. Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a signal for rural mailboxes which serves the dual purpose of signaling the mailman when the box contains mail to be collected and of signaling-the -boxholder when the mail has been collecte It is another object of the present invention to provide a signal for rural mailboxes which signals to the boxholder the collection or receipt of mail without interfering with the normal use of the mailbox. r

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will be apparent from the following specification and claim, considered together with the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts and wherein:

. Figure l is a view in side elevation of the presently described mailbox set to receive mail, there being no outgoing mail;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation similar to Figure 1 but indicating the signal set to receive mail when there is outgoing mail;

'igure 3 is a fragmentary view inside elevation similar to Figures 1 and'2 but illustrating the position of the signal when the outgoing mail has been collected, or the incoming mail has been deposited;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation with the signal set as in Figure 2 to receive incoming mail when outgoing mail is to be collected and showing a variant resilient element; and

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of an auxiliary signal for use at a remote station with the signal of Figures 1 to 4 to signal the arrival of the mail carrier.

R eferringnow more particularly to the draw- 1ngsz- The presently described mailbox signal is adapted for attachment to a conventional mailbox Iil of the type used on R. F. D. routes. The box customarily opens at its front end, a door I2 hingedly mounted on pin M being provided for this purpose.

The signal comprises a base plate It adapted to be bolted to the side of the mailbox a spaced distance from the door. Extending outwardly from the base plate is a pivot pin 18. Pivotally mounted on pin l 8 is a first signal arm 20 adapted to move between lowered or horizontal and raised or vertical positions. A standard 22 having a notched upper surface 24 is rigid to arm 20 and preferably is formed integrally therewith.

Arm 20 is dimensioned to project beyond the plane of door I 2 when the arm is in its horizontal position. It carries at its outer end a flag or signal 25 which preferably extends in the plane of the door so as to be visible to the boxholder from a station behind the mailbox. Flag 26 may be painted any suitable color or bear any suitable indicia calculated to attract the attention of or to be readily visible by the holder of the box.

Arm 20 is urged continuously to its raised or vertical position by tensioning means which preferably comprise a resilient element interconnecting it with base plate [6. In the drawings two such resilient elements are illustrated, although it is to be understood that either one may be employed singly.

Thus, in one of its forms, the resilient element.

may comprise a coil spring 28 interposed between base palte l6 and arm 20 and arranged to penetrate perforations in these two members at its respective ends, encircling pin l8. In an alternate and preferred form, the resilient element may comprise a strip of spring metal 30 which is anchored at one of its ends to a pin 32 on base plate [6. Strip 38 is then brought around the rear side of pin l8 and slidably extends through guide means comprising in the illustrated form the eye 34.

Thus, when arm 26 is in its lowered or horizontal position, it is maintained under tension urging it to its raised or vertical position. Such movement is restrained, however, by trip means comprising, for example, the horizontal bar 36 attached to door I2 and extending laterally therefrom. It will be apparent that when door I2 is opened, bar 36 is removed from arm 20, which then is elevated by spring28 or spring 30. The upward motion of arm 29 is arrested when the arm is fully elevated, however, by contact of its lower terminal portion with stop means such as pin 32.

The operation of arm 28 with flag 26 attached thereto thus serves to signal the boxholder when the mail carrier opens the door of the box to remove or deposit mail. Signaling means also are provided, however, for signaling the carrier that outgoing mail has been placed in the box. To this end, there is provided a second signal arm as having at its outer extremity the fiag 42 and at its inner extremity a slot id.

Arm 40 is pivotally mounted on pin it by inserting the latter pin through slot 44, spacing it by means of a pair of washers 4%, 48 and looking it on the arm with a cotter key 5%.

Arm llltliusjis free to rotate' about pin 18. a To maintain it in elevatedposition when arm 20 is lowered, it is provided with means for releasable interengagement with standard 22. In the illus trated embodiment such means comprise the lat erally projecting pin 52 positioned intermediate the ends of arm 40 and adapted to rest in notch 24 on standard 22. Hence, arm Ml may beraised 0 nal to the mail carrier that outgoingmail has been deposited in the box by placing pin 2l| in notch 24. However, the engagement is purely gravitational and when arm 2% is raisedupon opening the box, standard 22 will assume; its horizontal position and no longer support arm' 46, which therefore drops to its" lowered position.

:Since in many instances the mailbox is 1'0- est-east a station remote from the home of the b holder at which station it is not readily Visible, m also are provided for operating a signal remoteirom the mailbox. To this end there is provided a third signal arm' 60 pivotally mounted on a support member 62 through pivot pin 64. 'lhisinstallation may be located, for example, cent the home of the'boxholder. Arrn til is p rovidedfwith tensioning means for maintaining it normally in arais'ed position. In illustrated ar this result is achieved by mounting the arm unsymmetrically with respect to pin fil thereby providing a weighted free end which overbalances the end bearing flag 66. Flag 65 maybe of any s" tabl form and painted a characteristic color orinscribed with characterist cdns'ignia calculated to be readily visible when ssess a s. rmtfilis interconnected with arm 26 through ljlexible interconnectng aesns which may comprise, for example, .a cord or wire 58. This is connected at onset" its ends to the extremity of arm til and at the other of its ends to'arin zti tan ents/s iii thereon. It normally is maintainedtaut and may traverse Suitably located guide meanssuch as eyes and pulleys disposed on stationary objects along its course. Thus,

wh n arm zq is lowered, itlwill lower mite.

l iowever, when arm 2D is elevated, arm'fit also will assume an elevated position.

Operation I'he operation of the herein described mailbox signal is as follows: 7 When the signal is set to receive mail, there being no outgoing mail, arms '20, I48 and 6% are set. in the positions of Figures 1 and 5, with'a'rm -20 maintained horizontal beneath trip 3.5 against the tension of springs 28. and 30. Arm 60 likewise is maintained horizontal but is constantly urged to a raised position by its weighted terminal portion. If the carrier opens door 12 to deposit mail, trip 36 will become disengaged from arm 20, which then will be elevated by springs 2S 30 to assume the position of Figure 3. During this op- -efrati'on, arm 60 will assume the dotted outline position of Figure 5, thereby indicating t the .boxholder that mail has been deposited in the box.

If outgoing mail has been placed in the box, the signal is set in the position of Figures 2, 4 and 5, wherein arm 20 is lowered and arm 40 is elevated, pin 52 in arm 40 resting in notch 24 on standard 22. As before, arm 60 will be in lowered position corresponding to the position of arm 20.

When the mail carrier opens door [2, the sequence above described will occur, arms 20 and to rising to their elevated positions. The motion of *armiZUWill, however, ispestandard zr in a horizontal plane so that a'rm 40' becomes" disengaged therefrom and swings freely downwardly until it assumes the position of Figure 3. The boxholder thus is advised that the mail carrier has oalledand has either removed outgoing mail from theIboxor-placed incoming mail therein.

It is to be understood that the form of my 'invention;hrewithshown and described, is to be taken 'as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the s'pirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claim. For example, the pivot'support for the second signal arm "40 is illustrated in the drawing to be pin 18. This is a simplified and preferred arrangement, although it will be recognized that arm ifi may b pivotally supported upon the first. arm 20 instead. In any event the secondarm l'fl is supported for pivotal movement independent of arm 29 for setting the second flag 42in ve1'-tica1 position, but the set second fiag arm 40 is ro'tatedto lowered tripped position with and py'the' first armfj20 through engagement of pin 52-with' the some in standard22. I,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A mailbox signal'for use one mailbox previded with a door, the signal comprisinga pivot pin adapted to be afiixed to the side of themailbox and to extend outwardly therefrom, a first signal arm pivotally mounted on the pivot pin, a notched standard rigid to the'first signal arm and substantially norm 1 thereto, trip means adaptedto bef astened to the door in a position for engagement by the first arm, thereby maintaining the first arm in a horizontal position, stop meansfor engaging the first arm when the first arm is r in a vertical position, tensioriing means connected to the first arm' 'for urging the same to a vertica'l position against the stop means,a second signal arm having a slot in the lower portion thereog the pivotpin extending through the slot, thereby pivotally mounting-the second arm on the mailbox while permittingits longitudinal movement, a, laterally extendingpin on the second arm intermediateits ends, thesec 0nd arm being operable between a raised-position wherein the standard is' vertical and th pin rests in the notch and a lowered position wherein the standard is horizontaland the pin is released from the notch.

HENRY J. GAGNON.

"References Cited in the filbf this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

